India have a chance to top T20 rankings

Pune, Dec 19 (IANS) India have a chance to go top of the ICC T20 International rankings if they win all four matches against England and Pakistan scheduled later in the month.

India play England in a two-match series starting here Thursday and then square off against traditional rivals Pakistan -- also in a two-match series starting Dec 25 in Bangalore.

India are currently ranked third on the table with 120 ratings points. If India were to win all four matches, they will be propelled to the number-one rank with a gain of 12 ratings points and in doing so will open up a five-point lead over current top-ranked Sri Lanka.

It will be the first time that India will have a chance of aiming for the number-one spot in the rankings since it was launched in October 2011.

If India were to lose even one of their four matches, the best they can hope to end 2012 is at the number-two spot. But if India were to lose all four of their matches against both England and Pakistan, they could slip to as low as seventh with 106 ratings points.

England and Pakistan can hope to climb a place if they win against India.